News

FLAGSTAFF – Drivers along Interstate 40 through Flagstaff should be aware of around-the-clock lane restrictions while the Arizona Department of Transportation continues projects to improve the much-traveled highway.

Crews continue to work on replacing pavement on 10 miles of I-40 from the I-17 interchange east to Walnut Canyon Road. Eastbound I-40 is currently narrowed to one lane between I-17 and Butler Avenue through the evening of Friday, July 16.

Next week, eastbound I-40 will be narrowed to one lane between Butler Avenue and Country Club Drive. 

PHOENIX – A section of US 191 south of Willcox reopened Wednesday morning following more than a week of work to repair soil erosion that damaged the highway.

ADOT crews completed repairs early today, allowing traffic to flow again on US 191 between Birch Road at milepost 53.1 and Dragoon Road at milepost 55.7. The highway closed Monday, July 5, when maintenance crews discovered cracks following heavy rainfall in the area. Traffic was detoured onto local roads during the closure.

PHOENIX – This monsoon season could prove to be especially disruptive to travel plans after a series of major wildfires has made burn areas susceptible to flooding. That can leave highways covered with mud and other hazardous debris.

Anytime drivers are traveling this summer, the Arizona Department of Transportation is urging drivers to expect the unexpected, including unscheduled closures, near recent burn areas and to take extra precautions.

PHOENIX – Motorists should plan for an extended closure of US 191 south of Willcox while crews with the Arizona Department of Transportation work to repair soil erosion under the roadway.

The closure requires drivers to use a clearly marked local detour between mileposts 53.1 and 55.7. Motorists will use Birch, Cochise Stronghold and Dragoon roads while the closure is in place

CHINO VALLEY, AZ – The Arizona Department of Transportation has started a project to improve traffic flow at the intersection of SR 89 and Road 1 North in Chino Valley.

The project will add a right-turn lane on northbound SR 89 to eastbound Road 1 North, add left turn lanes on Road 1 North, and install a new traffic signal and detection sensors.

PHOENIX – Earning an instruction permit and a first driver license are definitely instagrammable moments for teen drivers.

The Arizona Department of Transportation doesn’t want those celebratory events to turn into a nightmare, and reminds freshly-minted drivers to keep their IDs hidden from potential identity thieves.

PHOENIX – Is a road test in your future? Maybe you know someone seeking their first driver license?

This can feel like a daunting process, but there’s good news because the Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division is offering tips and reminders to help the road test run smoothly. ADOT’s No. 1 piece of advice? Practice, practice, practice.

PHOENIX – With more people hitting the road during the peak summer travel season, the Arizona Department of Transportation is urging motorists to be prepared for the unexpected and have an extra awareness for safety and security.  

Some motorists upset with road closures due to multiple fires burning in Arizona are taking their frustrations out on ADOT personnel staffing the roadblocks.

ADOT does not decide which roads to close. Closures are determined by fire incident commanders who work in conjunction with law enforcement and ADOT, and motorists may face legal penalties for attempting to get around a barrier or other method used to shut down a road.

PHOENIX – Following a temporary halt in license plate production because of an aluminum supply-chain issue, the Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division is again producing and delivering license plates to Arizonans in the normal timeframe.

License plate production crews worked weekends and double shifts to quickly eliminate the backlog and minimize delays for customers. Customers with questions can visit an MVD office or call MVD at 602-255-0072.

PHOENIX – Four corridors for passenger and freight traffic will be expanded and improved under the Arizona Department of Transportation’s five-year construction program approved Friday by the State Transportation Board.

PHOENIX – Across Arizona, schools have released students for the summer. But some teens have a test in their future, one they might even be looking forward to: the written driver Instruction Permit test.

FLAGSTAFF – The Arizona Department of Transportation completed the installation of the new Rio de Flag bridge along Historic Route 66 in front of Flagstaff City Hall allowing the road to reopen to traffic Thursday afternoon ahead of schedule.

During the week-long closure, crews demolished the old bridge and installed the new bridge using precast bridge elements. Fabricating the bridge components ahead of time as opposed to building them in place allows the work to go more quickly, reducing the time needed to replace the bridge and impacts to traffic.

PHOENIX – Greenlee County residents will soon be able to complete motor vehicle and driver services without crossing county lines.

The Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division will reopen its Clifton office on Thursday, June 24. The office will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Thursdays every week. With the exception of road tests, all services will be available.

PHOENIX – The installation of improved lighting in the Interstate 10 Deck Park Tunnel north of downtown Phoenix has been completed. Arizona Department of Transportation crews have worked in stages this year to replace old fixtures in the tunnel with modern, energy efficient LED lights.

PHOENIX – We all know the signatures of an Arizona monsoon - intense dust storms and torrential rain - but how many of us truly know how to drive safely when Mother Nature unleashes her worst?

With fire restrictions in place, and to ensure the safety of staff and customers, the Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division office in Globe is temporarily closed. There is no timetable for reopening. 

Customers can complete MVD services by going online at www.azmvdnow.gov; or call MVD at 602-255-0072.

Two-thirds of all MVD services and transactions can be completed online at www.azmvdnow.gov. Here’s a sampling of what can be done online:

PHOENIX – The worldwide aluminum shortage that’s constraining production for various industries means there is a temporary interruption in the production of Arizona license plates.

PHOENIX – The Bouse Wash Rest Area on Interstate 10 in western Arizona will close starting Monday, June 7, for a renovation that’s expected to be completed in early 2022.

The Arizona Department of Transportation’s renovation plans include upgrades to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act, replacing restroom fixtures and expanding the parking lot. Also, renovations will improve and modernize ramadas, water and wastewater systems, vending buildings and other equipment.

PHOENIX – The Arizona Department of Transportation will hold a final public hearing Thursday, June 3, on the agency’s recommended plan for the next five years of statewide construction projects.

The virtual hearing on the 2022-2026 Tentative Five-Year Transportation Facilities Construction Program begins at 9 a.m. and can be accessed at http://aztransportationboard.gov.